


Umino Iruka is a badass and will kick your butt

by transkakashi



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, soul marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-16
Updated: 2017-02-16
Packaged: 2018-09-24 20:41:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9785291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/transkakashi/pseuds/transkakashi
Summary: Kakashi was fifteen when his soul mark appeared. Normally that type of thing would take about two seconds to be noticed in ANBU, but Kakashi’s soul mark wasn’t somewhere normal, like under his shoulder blade, or the back of his knee.No, the wordsUmino Iruka is a badass and will kick your buttwere printed directly down the line of his cheek.





	

Kakashi was fifteen when his soul mark appeared. About average really. He’d forgotten that it might happen. He was busy with other things, like ANBU work, and not dying.

Really, he only thought that he was fifteen when his soul mark appeared. Because that was when he first saw it, sure – but who knows how long it might have been there. Normally that type of thing would take about two seconds to be noticed in ANBU, but Kakashi’s soul mark wasn’t somewhere normal, like under his shoulder blade, or the back of his knee.

No, the words _Umino Iruka is a badass and will kick your butt_ were printed directly down the line of his cheek.

Kakashi stared at the words. He traced them with a finger, squinting a little. The characters were sharply defined and easy to read. Whoever had written them had nice handwriting.

Eventually, he shrugged and thought that it was useful that he already was known for wearing a mask. Kakashi wasn’t inclined to share his new revelation to anyone.

He donned his mask, and went out to receive his next assignment.

 

* * *

 

Kakashi first heard the name Umino Iruka when he was on duty, guarding the Hokage’s office from the roof. There wasn’t anyone nearby. There hadn’t been an attack in over a year. That didn’t mean that Kakashi was lax, but he might have been a bit bored.

He heard the door open, and pricked his ears to see if he could hear something interesting. However, it didn’t sound like anything official was happening, just some kid getting scolded for pulling a prank. Although, what kid would get scolded by the Hokage…

Kakashi concentrated a bit more, and began to make out whole sentences.

“Umino Iruka, you will be the death of me… Who told you that? … Well I’ll tell you that he’s wrong… No that doesn’t mean you’re excused.”

The kid getting scolded answered too softly for Kakashi to hear what he was saying. His fingers touched his cheek gently. Whoever this Iruka person was, apparently his soulmate thought he could kick Kakashi’s butt.

Listening to the conversation from below, it didn’t seem very likely.

 

* * *

 

The next time Kakashi thought about his soul mark, he was on extra patrol duty for the chuunin exams. It’s the final round, so the exams is nearly over, thankfully. Having so many foreign in the ninja in the village was a security nightmare.

Kakashi alighted on top of the stadium wall in the shadow of one of the stands and paused to watch the competitors for a moment. They were too far away for him to see their headbands, but one of them had a flail and was using it rather ineffectively in an attempt to try to pummel the other. An exploding tag later, and the boy with the flail is boxed inside a cube seal.

“Winner, Umino Iruka!”

Kakashi narrowed his eyes at the sweaty and tired seals user. He had dark hair and dark skin, but Kakashi couldn’t make out much else.

But he used seals. Not many ninja do that, and it takes a life time to master them. Kakashi was impressed, despite himself. Maybe his future opponent won’t roll over without a fight after all.

 

* * *

 

As an ANBU, Kakashi did a lot of things. Odd jobs, tasks with secrecy shrouded around them, missions and retrievals, and sometimes, rescues.

A team carrying a high priority scroll from Iwa was late, and Kakashi and Tenzou have been dispatched to check things out. Kakashi had the whole pack out while Tenzou followed in his footsteps silently, ready to use the advantage of the forest if he needed to.

It took them a day, but they do find the team and the reason they were late. Or at least, pieces of the reason.

There were bits of ninja strewn around a small clearing, and Kakashi made the hand sign for _halt_ , and his dogs and Tenzou froze. Just as he was about to drop down to investigate, two figures came out of the trees and into the clearing.

One was wearing a Konoha headband, one wasn’t. They danced around each other for a few seconds, kunai flying, and then the one without a headband makes a misstep. She backed up a pace too many, and Konoha made a handsign.

A barrier sprang up around the pursuer. Konoha made little work of her then, throwing an exploding tag into the cube. When he let it down, there was a small smear on the ground, but that’s about it.

Kakashi blinked. Umino Iruka has come a long way from being rebuked in the Hokage’s office.

He gestured for Tenzou to split up with him, and they tail the group as they head back to Konoha, silent bodyguards. Kakashi fended off another attacker, but aside from that, it’s all calm.

Maybe Umino can handle himself in a fight after all. Still, he was no match for Kakashi. Kakashi was sure of that.

 

* * *

 

Gai was the next one Kakashi heard talking about Iruka – he was complimenting his new genin, which had been taught by him. Kakashi asked a few leading questions, and as always, it was easy to get Gai to talk. After learning a bit about his teaching techniques, some more about Gai’s new students, and about the Academy in general, Gai frowned a little at him.

“Is there anything specific you want to know? You seem to be dancing around something. That’s not like you.”

Kakashi hesitated, and Gai lifted an eyebrow, actually intrigued now. Kakashi looked around, but they were alone after their sparring session. The craters and destroyed brush around them attested to the fierceness of their fight. It also meant that no one usually stood around to watch, as they were afraid of getting hit in the head by a stray boulder.

“Look,” Kakashi started, but wasn’t sure how to finish the sentence. So instead he reached up and pulled his mask down, showing off the neat script on his cheek.

Gai half flinched away in habit, before carefully reading the words and then nodding. Kakashi pulled up his mask and watched Gai ponder the words.

“From what my students tell me, their sensei isn’t one to be trifled with,” Gai eventually said. “But even I have trouble beating you in a fight.”

Kakashi shrugged. Whoever his soul mate was, they had a high appreciation for Iruka’s abilities.

“Have you spoken to Iruka-sensei yet?” Gai asked. “That might give you some insights as to who it is. They probably know each other.”

“I don’t really want to know who it is,” Kakashi grumbled.

“But you’re still curious.” Gai smiled at him widely. “Which is good. You should go talk to him.”

Kakashi sighed a little, but thought that he might just follow his friend’s advice.

 

* * *

 

The next time he had a mission scroll to be handed in, he loitered for a few minutes to see which line was Iruka’s. He was fairly certain it was the one with the most yelling, but you couldn’t be too certain about these things. Kakashi waited in line, amused by the snippets of talk he could hear from the front. It seemed like today was not a great day for the mission desk staff.

When he was one person away from talking to Iruka, the ninja in front of him said something inane, or stupid, _something_ , that just set Iruka off.

“Do you think this is funny? The work here is hard enough without stupid jounin thinking they can get away with whatever they want! Don’t make me come after you! Fill out this paperwork properly or else!” 

The scolded jounin scurried away. Kakashi stepped up, thinking that this probably wasn’t going to be a great first impression. Iruka was still steaming from the last jounin, and Kakashi’s handwriting was passable at the best of times.

Iruka set his shoulders and looked up at him. “Umino Iruka is a badass and will kick your butt,” he half snarled. Kakashi was too stunned to do anything besides stare at him. “Ahem. That would be me. If you hand in something illegible Hatake-san, I might be forced to hurt you.”

“I’d honestly like to see you try,” Kakashi said, words harsh but tone soft. He was starting a different conversation, after all.

Iruka stiffened. He narrowed his eyes at Kakashi, who shrugged helplessly.

“If you think this will get you out of your paperwork, you are sadly mistaken,” Iruka grumbled, taking the sheathe of papers that Kakashi had placed on his desk.

“I wouldn’t dream of it sensei,” Kakashi said, a smile threatening to tilt the corner of his mouth. Not that Iruka would know, but still. It was the principle of the thing.

He was suddenly glad that he’d bothered to fill in the appropriate places on the form.

“Tonight, meet for dinner, I’ll find you,” Kakashi said, before leaping out the nearest window joyfully. Iruka’s shout followed him. After all, he’d filled in all the form, but he’d said nothing about his handwriting.

**Author's Note:**

> Iruka has 'I'd honestly like to see you try' written just under his left shoulder blade and has taken it as a personal challenge for his entire life


End file.
